Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Jackson, MS

March 5, 1989Neshoba County, Mississippi

NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at Mar 5, 1989, 5:42 AM CST for Neshoba County, Mississippi. It was in force for 48 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 5, 1989, 5:42 AM CST (11:42 UTC)
Expired
Mar 5, 1989, 6:30 AM CST
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Jackson, MS
Area
Whole counties

County Neshoba County, MS

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 00:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 102 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 1989-03-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1843 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 1989-03-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 239 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1843 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
574 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
239 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.3
Supercell composite
15.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMEI 051143
TORMEI
MSC099-051230-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
542 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MERIDIAN HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  630 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
          ...NESHOBA
 
AT 542 CST RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR PHILADELPHIA
MISSISSIPPI. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 5, 2:38 AM CST, 3 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
225 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCHES STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FOR NORTH CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...ALL OF CENTRAL...AND PARTS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF I-20...

AT 225 AM...A NEAR SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WITH VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL..EXTENDED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI FROM KOSCIUSKO TO
MCCOMB. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS INCREASED IN INTENSITY DURING
THE PAST HOUR WHILE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS AND BANDS OF LIGHT RAIN WERE SCATTERED OVER MOST
SECTIONS OF MISSISIPPI. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT
5$0 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 3:12 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
305 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCHES STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FOR NORTH CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...ALL OF CENTRAL...AND PARTS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF I-20...

AT 300 AM...A NEAR SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL..EXTENDED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI FROM KOSCIUSKO IN ATTALA
COUNTY ACROSS PELAHATCHIE TO NEAR D`LO IN SIMPSON COUNTY. THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN STRENGTH DURING THE PAST 30
MINUTES WHILE MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM IN THE LINE WAS NEAR KOSCIUSKO AND THIS
STORM MAY CONTAIN SOME HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS WELL AS FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

ALSO...THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING VERY
SLOWLY ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED
TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS MOVES NORTHEAST. THE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES WILL
PROBABLY HAVE TO BE EXTENDED INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND ALL RESIDENTS
IN MISSISSIPPI REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS;.

THE MAIN THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES ALREADY IN
THE COLD AIRMASS WILL BE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OF LARGE HAIL WITH SOME
OF THE THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 3:46 AM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
335 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM FOR NORTH CENTRAL...
NORTHEAST...ALL OF CENTRAL...AND PARTS OF SOUTH MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT NORTH OF I-20...

AT 335 AM...A NEARLY SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL..EXTENDED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI FROM EAST OF KOSCIUSKO
TO CARTHAGE AND PELAHATCHIE AND ACROSS SIMPSON COUNTY. THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN STRENGTH DURING THE PAST HOUR
WHILE MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE LINE WERE FROM NEAR CARTHAGE TO
PELAHATCHIE. THESE STORMS CONTAIN SOME HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS
WELL AS FREQUENT DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

THE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED FOR PORTIONS OF
MISSISSIPPI INTO THE DAYLIGHT HOURS AND RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY INb THE EAST
HALF OF THE STATE SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO LATER WEATHER BULLETINS.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 3:51 AM CST, 1 hour 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MERIDIAN MS
345 AM CST SUN MAR  5 1989

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 18 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM CST. THE WATCH
INCLUDES ALL COUNTIES IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI EXCEPT WAYNE AND JONES.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TONIGHT ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 INCLUDING
SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTAL ALABAMA.

AT 336 AM MERIDIAN WEATHER RADAR WAS INDICATING AN 18 MILE WIDE LINE OF
VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR HOUSTON MISSISSIPPI TO
NEAR PINOLE MISSISSIPPI.  THE LINE WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND IN
ABOUT AN HOUR THE EASTERN EDGE OF THE LINE IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR A
MACON TO BAY SPRINGS LINE.

ALL IN EAST CENTRAL MISSIShSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER ALERT FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS AS THIS LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVES THROUGH THE
AREA.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:50 AM CST, 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
440 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 21 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM FOR EAST AND PORTIONS
OF CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT NORTH OF VICKSBURG...JACKSON...MACON LINE

AT 435 AM...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL EXTENDED
FROM NORTHEAST OF ACKERMAN ACROSS WINSTON COUNTY INTO SCOTT COUNTY NEAR
FOREST. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS
IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN SCOTT COUNTY.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAS DEVELOPED IN SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
20 MILES NORTHWEST OF MCCOMB MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL LIKELY CONTAIN SOME HAIL...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAINS...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES. PERSONS IN THE PATHS OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 5:28 AM CST, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
520 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 21 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM FOR EAST AND PORTIONS
OF CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT NORTH OF VICKSBURG...JACKSON...MACON LINE

AT 515 AM...A CLUSTER OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED IN SOUTH
WEST MISSISSIPPI FROM BROOKHAVEN NORTH TO GEORGETOWN. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND LIKELY CONTAIN SOME HAIL...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAINS AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

THESE STORMS WERE DEVELOPING JUST AHEAD OF A LOW PRESSURE CENTER THAT
WAS MOVING NORTHEASTWARD ALONG THE COLD FRONT INTO THE CENTRAL SECTIONS
OF THE STATE. PERSONS IN COPIAH...SIMPSON...LINCOLN AND LAWRENCE
COUNTIES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF A WARNING
IS ISSUED OR IF SEVERE WEATHER IS SIGHTED.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 4, 6:05 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds25 min
Mar 4, 6:15 PM CSTTornado WarningJANClaiborne15 min
Mar 4, 6:30 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds30 min
Mar 4, 6:56 PM CSTTornado WarningJANHinds34 min
Mar 4, 7:04 PM CSTTornado WarningJANMadison36 min
Mar 4, 7:26 PM CSTTornado WarningJANMadison34 min
Mar 4, 7:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANHinds39 min
Mar 4, 8:16 PM CSTTornado WarningJANIssaquena, Warren29 min
Mar 4, 8:29 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala, Leake31 min
Mar 4, 8:41 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWarren34 min
Mar 4, 8:54 PM CSTTornado WarningJANYazoo36 min
Mar 4, 9:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala27 min
Mar 4, 9:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANChoctaw34 min
Mar 4, 9:35 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningJANYazoo55 min
Mar 4, 9:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANYazoo55 min
Mar 4, 10:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala35 min
Mar 4, 10:49 PM CSTTornado WarningJANAttala, Choctaw26 min
Mar 4, 11:05 PM CSTTornado WarningJANWebster25 min
Mar 5, 3:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLeake34 min
Mar 5, 5:00 AM CSTTornado WarningJANNeshoba45 min
Mar 5, 5:39 AM CSTTornado WarningJANCopiah, Simpson36 min
Mar 5, 7:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANWalthall36 min
Mar 5, 7:41 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANMarion34 min
Mar 5, 7:52 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJefferson Davis, Marion38 min
Mar 5, 8:01 AM CSTTornado WarningJANCovington44 min
Mar 5, 8:31 AM CSTTornado WarningJANSmith29 min
Mar 5, 8:43 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJasper32 min
Mar 5, 9:08 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJones52 min
Mar 5, 9:16 AM CSTTornado WarningJANJasper29 min
Mar 5, 9:36 AM CSTTornado WarningJANSimpson, Smith39 min
Mar 5, 9:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANNewton45 min
Mar 5, 9:57 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANKemper48 min
Mar 5, 10:01 AM CSTTornado WarningJANScott29 min
Mar 5, 10:07 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANLauderdale53 min
Mar 5, 10:26 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJANAttala34 min
Mar 5, 12:12 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningJANLauderdale4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.